Tool and method of operation for removing debris and/or a lodged tool from a wellbore

ABSTRACT

A tool and method of operation for removing debris and/or a lodged tool from a wellbore as described herein.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/118,602, filed Feb. 20, 2015, which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Disclosure

Embodiments of this disclosure generally relate to a tool and method of operation for removing debris and/or a lodged tool from a wellbore.

2. Description of the Related Art

There are a variety of tools used to facilitate the drilling, completion, and production of a wellbore. One such tool is a packer or a plug, which can be used to seal a portion of the wellbore as needed. It is often desired to retrieve these tools from the wellbore after use, which requires a “fishing” operation. A “fishing” operation utilizes a fishing tool that is lowered into the wellbore to engage and retrieve the tool. However, often times there is a significant amount of debris, including dirt, rock fragments, and other materials located on top of the tool, which lodge the tool within the wellbore and obstruct the fishing tool from engagement with a “fish” (or retrieval) portion of the tool. A separate wellbore operation may be required to remove the debris prior to conducting the “fishing” operation, which adds time and cost to the overall retrieval process.

Therefore, there is a need for a tool and method of operation for removing debris and/or a lodged tool from a wellbore in a single trip.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A tool and method of operation for removing debris and/or a lodged tool from a wellbore as described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that the manner in which the above recited embodiments can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the embodiments, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to the description of the embodiments below, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings are not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the embodiments may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

FIG. 1 illustrates a tool for removing debris and/or a lodged tool from a wellbore in a first operational position, according to one embodiment disclosed herein.

FIG. 2 illustrates cross-section 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates cross-section 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates the tool in a second operational position, according to one embodiment disclosed herein.

FIG. 5 illustrates the tool moved back into the first operational position, according to one embodiment disclosed herein.

FIG. 6 illustrates the tool engaging a lodged tool within a wellbore, according to one embodiment disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a tool 100 for removing debris and/or a lodged tool from a wellbore 2 in a first position, according to one embodiment disclosed herein. The tool 100 can be lowered into the wellbore 2 on a work string 5. Optionally, fluid can be pumped down through the work string 5 and the tool 100, and circulated back up to the surface through an annulus 4 formed between the exterior of the tool 100 and the interior of the wellbore 2.

The tool 100 includes an upper mandrel 10 that is coupled to the work string 5. The upper mandrel 10 is rotationally fixed to a lower mandrel 30 by an outer sleeve 20, one or more key members 25, and one or more pin members 27. Optionally, the upper mandrel 10 can be axially fixed to the outer sleeve 20 temporarily by one or more shearable members 18 that are disposed through the upper mandrel 10 and the outer sleeve 20 (also shown in FIG. 3). Alternatively, or in addition, the upper mandrel can be axially fixed to the outer sleeve 20 temporarily by a detent mechanism 19, which is coupled to the upper mandrel 10 and can be moved into and out of engagement with a groove 17 formed along with inner surface of the outer sleeve 20. The lower end of the outer sleeve 20 is coupled to the lower mandrel 30 by a threaded connection.

The upper end of the outer sleeve is coupled to the upper mandrel 10 by the key and pin members 25, 27. The key members 25 are disposed within one or more longitudinal slots 15 formed on the outer surface of the upper mandrel 10 (also shown in FIG. 2). The pin members 27 are disposed through both the outer sleeve 20 and the key members 25, as further illustrated in FIG. 3. Rotation of the upper mandrel 10 is transferred to the key members 25, the pin members 27, the outer sleeve 20, and finally to the lower mandrel 30 to rotate a milling skirt 35 that is disposed at the lower end of the lower mandrel 30.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the detent mechanism 19 includes one or more ball members 12 that are biased by biasing members 13, such as springs, into the groove 17 of the outer sleeve 20. The biasing members 13 are disposed in recesses 14 formed in the upper mandrel 10. A downward force applied to the upper mandrel 10, such as by setting down the weight of the work string 5, can force the ball members 12 into the recesses 14, thereby compressing the biasing members 13, and out of the groove 17 to allow the upper mandrel 10 to move relative to the outer sleeve 20, the lower mandrel 30, and the milling skirt 35. Subsequently, the upper mandrel 10 can be moved back to the position where the ball members 12 re-engage the groove 17 to axially fix the upper mandrel 10 to the outer sleeve 20.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the tool 100 can be rotated to rotate the milling skirt 35 and cut out at least a portion of a lodged tool 60 located within the wellbore 2. For example, an upper portion of the lodged tool 60 can be cut out using the milling skirt 35 to expose a retrieval member 61 (also known as a “fish” portion) of the lodged tool 60 that can be engaged to dislodge the remainder of the lodged tool 60. The milling skirt 35 is also used to cut and/or loosen debris located within the wellbore 2 and/or above the lodged tool 60 within the wellbore 2. The milling skirt 35 may include one or more teeth and/or an abrasive outer surface, such as a carbide coating, for cutting lodged tools and/or loosening wellbore debris. Fluid is pumped down through the tool 100 and circulated back up to the surface through the annulus 4 to flush out cuttings and/or debris from the wellbore 2.

A support member 16 is coupled to the lower end of the upper mandrel 10 to support the weight of the outer sleeve 20 and the lower mandrel 30 when the tool 100 is lowered into the wellbore 2. The lower end of the outer sleeve 20 contacts the upper end of the support member 16 to transfer the weight to the upper mandrel 10 and thus the work string 5. The support member 16 can prevent the weight of the lower mandrel 30 from being applied to the pin members 27 and/or the shear members 18 to prevent inadvertent shearing of the pin members 27 and/or the shear members 18.

A hydraulic adapter 40 is coupled to the lower end of the upper mandrel 10 and is disposed within the lower mandrel 30. A flow bore 41 of the hydraulic adapter 40 is in fluid communication with a flow bore 11 of the upper mandrel 10. One or more flow paths 42 are disposed through the body of the hydraulic adapter 40 to provide fluid communication between the flow bore 41 and an annulus 43 formed between the exterior of the hydraulic adapter 40 and the interior of the lower mandrel 30.

Fluid pumped down through the work string 5 flows into the flow bore 11 of the upper mandrel 10, and then into the flow bore 41 of the lower mandrel 30. Fluid in the flow bore 41 flows through the flow paths 42 into the annulus 43 formed between the hydraulic adapter 40 and the lower mandrel 30. An upper seal 45 is located above the flow paths 42 to prevent fluid flow upward into the outer sleeve 20 across the upper seal 45. A lower seal 46 is located below the flow paths 42 to prevent fluid flow downward into the lower mandrel 30 across the lower seal 46.

The lower seal 46 is held against downward movement by a seal retainer 48 that is coupled to the lower mandrel 30. One or more by-pass slots 44 are formed on the outer surface of the hydraulic adapter 40. When the by-pass slots 44 are positioned adjacent to the seal 46, fluid in the annulus 43 bypasses the seal 46 and flows out through the lower end of the lower mandrel 30.

In addition to the flow paths 42, the flow bore 41 of the hydraulic adapter 40 is also in fluid communication with a flow bore 51 of a fishing tool 50 that is coupled to the lower end of the hydraulic adapter 40. Fluid from the flow bore 11 of the upper mandrel flows into the flow bore 41 of the hydraulic adapter 40, through the flow bore 51 of the fishing tool 50, and out through the lower end of the lower mandrel 30 to flush out cuttings and debris from the wellbore 2. A nozzle 47 can be disposed at the outlet of the flow bore 41 to increase the flow rate of fluid flowing through the hydraulic adapter 40 and the fishing tool 50 to help flush out cuttings and debris from the wellbore 2.

Once the tool 100 is lowered onto the lodged 60, as illustrated in FIG. 1, and/or debris that inhibits further downward movement of the tool 100, then the weight of the work string 5 can be set down onto the upper mandrel 10 to shear the shearable members 18 and/or disengage the detent mechanism 19 to allow the upper mandrel 10 (and the hydraulic adapter 40 and the fishing tool 50) to move downward relative to the outer sleeve 20 and the lower mandrel 30. The upper mandrel 10 can be moved into a second operational position as illustrated in FIG. 4 (the lodged tool 60 omitted for clarity), such that the by-pass slots 44 are located below the lower seal 46 so that fluid flow through the annulus 43 is closed and contained by both the upper and lower seals 45, 46. The pressurized fluid flow contained within the annulus 43 can provide a pressure increase that indicates to an operator at the surface that the tool 100 is in the second operational position illustrated in FIG. 4. Optionally, the tool 100 can be raised up from the lodged tool 60 and/or debris a pre-determined distance before pumping fluid down into the wellbore 2 through the tool 100.

Referring to FIG. 4, fluid pumped down the work string 5 (illustrated by reference arrow F) flows directly through the flow bores 11, 41 and into flow bore 51 (illustrated by reference arrow F2), as well as through flow paths 42 and into the annulus 43 (illustrated by reference arrow F1), which provides a positive downward force onto the lower seal 46, the seal retainer 48, the lower mandrel 30, and the milling skirt 35. The fluid pumped out of the lower end of the lower mandrel 30 is circulated back up through the annulus 4 of the wellbore 2. The tool 100 is rotated simultaneously so that the milling skirt 35 cuts and/or looses debris that can be circulated back up to the surface for removal.

During operation, the work string 5 does not need to lower the tool 100 as the lodged tool 60 (omitted for clarity in FIG. 4) is cut out and/or as debris is removed because a positive downward force is applied to the lower mandrel 30 when fluid is pumped through the tool 100. The seal area across the lower seal 46 is less than the seal area across the upper seal 45 such that a positive downward force is applied to the lower mandrel 30 when the annulus 43 is pressurized between the upper and lower seals 45, 46. As the portion of the lodged tool and/or debris is cut and circulated out, the lower mandrel 30 and the milling skirt 35 moves downward relative to the upper mandrel 10, the hydraulic adapter 40, and the fishing tool 50.

Referring to FIG. 5, as the milling skirt 35 continues to cut out an upper portion the lodged tool 60 (omitted for clarity) and/or debris, the lower seal 46 moves with the lower mandrel 30 to a position where the by-pass slots 44 allow fluid within the annulus 43 to by-pass the lower seal 46 as illustrated by reference arrow F1. Re-opening fluid flow across the lower seal 46 through the by-pass slots 44 provides a pressure decrease that indicates to an operator at the surface that the tool 100 is back in the first operational position illustrated in FIG. 1. Fluid can be circulated continuously through the tool 100 and the annulus 4 to flush out cuttings and/or debris from the wellbore.

Referring to FIG. 6, the retrieval member 61 of the lodged tool 60 is fully exposed after cutting and removing the surrounding portions of the lodged tool 60 and/or debris from the wellbore 2 operating the tool 100 as described herein. The weight of the work string 5 can be set down onto the upper mandrel 10, to release the detent mechanism 19 if re-engaged, and thereby lower the hydraulic adapter 40 and the fishing tool 50 relative to the lower mandrel 30. The lower mandrel 30 is inhibited from downward movement by contact with the lodged tool 60. The fishing tool 50 is lowered until a gripping member 52 of the fishing tool 50 engages the retrieval member 61. The work string 5 can then be raised to pull on the retrieval member 61 via the gripping member 52 to dislodge the lodged tool 60 and remove the lodged tool 60 from the wellbore 2.

The tool 100 can be used to remove debris from a wellbore, remove a lodged tool from a wellbore, or remove both debris and a lodged tool from a wellbore. The debris and/or lodged tool can be removed in a single trip into the wellbore using the tool 100 described herein. The tool 100 can be moved between the various positions as illustrated and described with respect to FIG. 1, FIG. 4, and FIG. 5, any number of times before moving the fishing tool 50 into engagement with the lodged tool 60 as illustrated and described with respect to FIG. 6.

While the foregoing is directed to various embodiments, other and further embodiments may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow. 

1. A tool and method of operation for removing debris and/or a lodged tool from a wellbore as described herein. 